Early Years Teacher Status Diary - the teachers take their marks

We had three pathways moving to assessment this month – Graduate Entry Pathway, Undergraduate Entry Pathway and Undergraduate Practitioner Pathway. The trainees who have been to assessment have all been moderated and notified that they have all met the requirements and have become Early Years Teachers. These trainees represent the last of the Early Years Teachers/Professionals being trained under a consortium led by the University of Chichester. Over the last academic year, 43 trainees have met the requirements across all four entry routes (the last of which being the Graduate Practitioner Pathway.)

End of an era

The South East Early Years Consortium (SEEYC) will come to an end in September 2014. Additionally to Chichester, the SEEYC also comprising the universities of Winchester, Brighton, Portsmouth and Canterbury Christchurch, as well as Tribal Education Ltd, and has been rated as outstanding following a monitoring visit from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. This collaborative effort represents the work we have all invested in the project.

Looking forwards

There has been a significant effort to ensure high-quality delivery of Early Years Initial Teacher Training, part of the EYT-training process. Quality assurance will take place via a university approval process. This includes internal and external scrutiny and feedback followed by approval from our academic board. An external examiner has been appointed and I am finalising recruitment and induction. The inclusion of the teacher’s professional skills test has been a barrier but trainees are working hard to meet these additional requirements proving their dedication to the sector and desire to gain the status. Mentor and tutor training has been scheduled and we are ready to begin the new delivery model.

Early Years Initial Teacher Training will build on Early Years Teacher Status and Early Years Professional Status - I intend that the holistic idea of professional working with babies, toddlers, young children, families and with colleagues (in settings or multi-agency) will not be lost. Leadership and personal practice will still be core to our training. The training will encourage critical evaluation and reflection of current practice and policy to allow the trainees to be able to apply this to their own contexts. By doing this I hope that trainees will be able to support and improve practice within their settings to provide children with the best support, care and education whilst in the early years.  

I will be back teaching the next generation of graduate leaders from 8 September 2014. Have a restful summer.